Magneto-mechanical impedance methods and apparatus for crack detection and characterization of conduits and other structures

ABSTRACT

A crack detecting system operable to detect cracks along a conduit or structure includes a tool movable along a conduit or structure and having at least one sensing device for sensing cracks in a wall of the conduit or structure, and a processor operable to process an output of the at least one sensing device. Responsive to processing of the output by the processor, the processor is operable to determine cracks at the wall of the conduit or structure. The at least one sensing device employs excitation in the form of a high current continuous or pulse wave that is applied to a magneto-mechanical impedance transducer/sensor coil to generate a mechanical wave in the conduit or structure.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisionalapplication Ser. No. 62/438,048, filed Dec. 22, 2016, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to generally to a method of detectingcracks in a pipeline or conduit or tubular via a tool or device that ismoved along and within the pipeline or conduit or tubular (or movedalong an exterior surface of a conduit or tubular or plate or beam orother structure).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to use a sensing device to sense or determine the strengthof and/or freepoints and/or stresses and/or characteristics of flaws ordefects in pipes and other tubulars. Examples of such devices aredescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,708,204; 4,766,764; 8,035,374 and/or8,797,033.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a crack detecting system that is operableto detect cracks along a conduit. The crack detecting system comprises atool that is movable along a conduit and that has at least one sensingdevice for sensing cracks in a wall of the conduit. The sensing devicemay comprise a wave generating device and a wave detecting or sensingdevice. A processor (at the tool or remote therefrom) is operable toprocess an output of the at least one sensing device. Responsive toprocessing of the output by the processor, the processor is operable todetermine cracks at the wall of the conduit. The at least one sensingdevice employs excitation in the form of a high current continuous orpulse wave that is applied to a magneto-mechanical impedancetransducer/sensor coil to generate a mechanical wave in the conduit orstructure. The tool may include other sensing devices that employ othersensing means, such as electro-mechanical impedance or vibroacousticmodulation or the like.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1B show a cross section of a structure with a tool of thepresent invention disposed thereat, shown with a magneto impedancesensor;

FIG. 2 shows a horizontal cross section of a pipe or tubular withanother tool of the present invention disposed therein;

FIG. 3 shows a horizontal cross section of a pipe or tubular withanother tool of the present invention disposed therein;

FIG. 4 shows a horizontal cross section of a pipe or tubular withanother tool of the present invention disposed therein;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing post-run data processing stages of thesystem of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is another block diagram showing real-time data processing inaccordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a system and method and apparatus fordetermining cracks in pipelines or well casings, and other tubulars orconduits. The tool (see, for example, FIGS. 1-4) can be operated inpipelines (such as, for example, for inline inspection), downholeapplications (drill strings, well casing and tubing), and other tubularsfor the purpose of stress determination in the conduit walls (such assteel or type/grade of steel or the like), or the tool may be movedalong any accessible surface of a conduit or tubular or plate or beam orother structure (such as, for example, an interior surface of a conduitor tubular or an exterior surface of a conduit or tubular or plate orbeam).

An example of a tool suitable for such crack detection is shown in FIG.2. The tool comprises a plurality of modules 1, 2, 3 coupled together byrespective universal joints 4, with each module having a drive cupand/or cleaning ring 5. The tool is moved along the tubular 6, wherebysensing devices of the modules operate to sense the presence of cracksat the tubular, as discussed below. Optionally, and such as shown inFIG. 3, the modules 1, 2, 3 of a tool may have a tracked drive 7 thatoperates to move the tool and modules along the tubular 6. Optionally,and such as shown in FIG. 4, the forwardmost module 3 of the tool mayinclude a pull loop 8 that attaches to a pull cable 9, and/or therearwardmost module 1 of the tool may have a coiled tube or pushingdevice 10, that function to move the tool and modules along the tubular6.

When an exciter is applied/coupled to a physical specimen or structure,there is an interaction between said exciter and physical specimen. Thiscauses the exciter to move in a different manner than if it were in freespace. As a result, differences can be observed in the drive circuitryattached to the transmitter and can be interpreted as a change in thematerial (such as, for example, cracks, defects, and/or the like in thematerial). There are two main methodology branches of the impedancemethod: electro-mechanical impedance method and magneto-mechanicalimpedance method. The electro-mechanical impedance method is aVibroacoustic Modulation (VAM) method and apparatus used for crackdetection and characterization (see, for example, the systems andmethods and apparatuses described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/825,312, filed Nov. 29, 2017, which is hereby incorporated herein byreference in its entirety).

The magneto-mechanical impedance methods, as well as the combinedmagneto-mechanical and electro-mechanical impedance methods, areoutlined below.

Magneto-Mechanical Impedance Method

The magneto-mechanical impedance method (see FIGS. 1A-1B) of the presentinvention utilizes an electrical coil with or without a permanentmagnet, in the most common implementations. Highly sensitivemagneto-mechanical methods employ devices such as Giant MagnetoImpedance (GMI) and/or Giant Magneto-Resistive (GMR) sensors (asexamples). Some forms of magneto-mechanical methods employ excitation inthe form of a high current continuous or pulse wave that is applied to amagneto-mechanical impedance transducer/sensor coil, which results in amechanical wave in the structure under test.

As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, an apparatus for detecting cracks comprisesa GMI sensor 13 at a magnetic yoke 17. The GMI sensor has an amorphouswire 14 and is placed near or in contact with material under test 11,which includes a crack 12. Signals carried on the wire 14 are passedthrough a filter 15 and an amplifier 16 and processed to determine thepresence of a crack 12 at the structure or material under test.

Responses to such a magnetically induced mechanical wave revealsinformation regarding its health or damage state within the signal'sanalyzed frequency spectra. Other forms of magneto-mechanical impedancemethods are implemented as devices that are classified as passive in thesense that a significant impinging energy is not produced to perturbatethe material under test, but rather listen passively for variations thatare being produced by way of ambient magnetic field and/or incidentalmechanical variations (as examples).

Magneto-mechanical impedance methods are usually implemented asnon-contact and tend to be used for the detection of near side defectsincluding cracks, however, in combination with various externalperturbation methods can produce results deeper into the material undertest. The magneto-mechanical impedance method can be enhanced throughthe use of mechanical, acoustic, and other independent perturbationmethods such that the said external force causes magneto-mechanicalmethods to more effectively derive the enhanced signals produced whenvarious defects are present in the material under test.

Magnetic spectral noise density (a power spectral density (PSD)parameter) is a method to find unique patterns of defects and materialproperties via the magneto-mechanical impedance method with eitherpassive listening or active perturbation.

The system may utilize a differential method in amplitude and phasechange of parameters based on two or more sensors used in themagneto-mechanical impedance method with either passive listening oractive perturbation. Common mode or ambient noise can be ignored orrejected to aid in discovering the signal of interest.

A magneto-optical impedance sensing device can be used for themagneto-mechanical impedance detection method. For example, opticalcharacteristics change as a consequence of the impinging magnetic field.Thus, optical transmission characteristics change as a result of thechange in magnetic material properties.

Combined Electro-Mechanical and Magneto-Mechanical Impedance Method

An electro-mechanical and magneto-mechanical impedance method or devicecomprises a device that responds to both acoustic energy and magneticenergy. Such devices may comprise (but are not limited to), for example,amorphous wire/microwire schemes based on GMI sensors, Galfenolcilia-like rods, and/or the like. Electro-Mechanical Impedance Methodsmay utilize aspects of the VAM methods and apparatus described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/825,312, filed Nov. 29, 2017, which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Advantages:

The system or method or apparatus of the present invention does notrequire elaborate receivers and provides simplicity in device design.Broad spectral frequency response enhancements are possible by way ofsimple enhancements in excitation frequency and pulse waveformtailoring. The methods provide ability to assess or characterize damage(such as cracks).

Magneto-mechanical methods are greatly enhanced through frequency and/ortime domain analyses leveraging the simplicity of device design andassociated electronics. Magneto-impedance methods are more conducive tosimplified modelling in virtual analysis environments of a greatlysimplified nature (such SPICE and SPICE-like electrical modelingenvironments). Therefore, magneto-mechanical methods make it possible tocreate a diversity of virtual defects that can more easily be simulatedand tested in a virtual manner.

The data is collected and processed via a data processor, which may bepart of the tool or may be remote from the tool (and may process datatransmitted from the tool or collected by the tool and processed afterthe tool has completed its data collection). The processing steps areshown, for example, in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Thus, the present invention provides a tool that can be operated inpipelines (such as for inline inspection, for example), downholeapplications, other tubulars and structures of various geometry, for thepurpose of crack detection. The tool utilizes means for positionaland/or spatial relationship via items such as a caliper, encoder,gyroscopic devices, inertial measurement unit (IMU), and the like.Optionally, the tool may also utilize a caliper module for determinationof geometry flaws, dents, and the like.

The tool utilizes at least one impedance method, or any combination ofimpedance methods, such as magneto-mechanical, electro-mechanical, or acombination of both. The tool may utilize any impedance method or acombination of both mentioned herein, along with any individual orcombination of VAM methods or systems or configurations or techniques.

The tool may utilize individual sensor(s) or array(s) unlimitedlydisposed in uniform or non-uniform arrangements/patterns for the sensingtechnologies and/or methods. The tool may utilize an electro-magneticacoustic transducer to impart acoustic energy into the material undertest if combined with the electro-mechanical impedance method asoutlined above.

The tool may store data on-board, or may transmit collected data to aremote location for storage (and/or processing), or may do a combinationof both. The tool may employ advanced data processing techniques toisolate and extract useful data as required. The tool may employadvanced data processing techniques that use a single sensing technologyand/or method, or any combination of sensing technologies (together orindividually) and/or methods. The data processing may be conducted inreal-time during tool operation, off-loaded externally to be conductedafter completion of a tool operation, or a combination of both.

The tool may comprise at least one module, which may contain at leastone, or any combination of impedance methods such as magneto-mechanical,electro-mechanical, or a combination of both. The module may containmultiple impedance methods, such as magneto-mechanical,electro-mechanical, or a combination of both that may or may notinteract with each other, and/or utilize shared componentry. The toolwith multiple modules may contain multiple impedance methods, such asmagneto-mechanical, electro-mechanical, or a combination of both thatinteract with each other, and/or utilize shared componentry.

A tool with multiple modules may contain a single impedance method, orcombinations of methods, that interacts between the multiple modules.The tool with multiple modules may contain multiple impedance methods,or combinations of methods, that interact between the multiple modules.

The module may contain multiple impedance methods, such asmagneto-mechanical, electro-mechanical, or a combination of both, andmay also include VAM methods or systems or configurations or techniques,that may or may not interact with each other, and/or utilize sharedcomponentry. A tool with multiple modules may contain multiple impedancemethods, such as magneto-mechanical, electro-mechanical, or acombination of both, and may also include VAM methods or systems orconfigurations or techniques that interact with each other, and/orutilize shared componentry.

A tool with multiple modules may contain a single impedance method, orcombinations of, that may also include VAM methods or systems orconfigurations or techniques, that interact between said multiplemodules. A tool with multiple modules may contain multiple impedancemethods, or combinations of, that may also include VAM methods orsystems or configurations or techniques that interact between themultiple modules.

The tool may be self-propelled (such as, but not limited to a roboticcrawler such as shown in FIG. 3), or may propelled by a gaseous orliquid medium pressure differential, or is propelled via a cable intension (pulled such as shown in FIG. 4), or is propelled via a coiledtube in compression (pushed such as shown in FIG. 4), or a combinationof the aforementioned propulsion means.

The tool may be powered on-board, remotely, or a combination of both.The tool may have a system and method to clean surfaces for bettersensing abilities, and that system may be incorporated with at least onemodule if utilized in the tool.

The tool may be operated in tubulars with a wide variety of diameters orcross-sectional areas. Optionally, the tool may be attached to othertools (such as, for example, material identification, magnetic fluxleakage, calipers, etc.). The tool may simultaneously use theaforementioned sensing technologies with existing tools' sensingcapabilities and/or system(s)—(such as, for example, crack detectionsystem(s) utilize other tool capabilities simultaneously through sharedcomponentry, magnetic fields, perturbation energy, waves, etc.).

The tool may include the means to determine position/location/distancesuch as, but not limited to, global positioning system(s), gyroscopicsystems, encoders or odometers, etc. The tool may include the means todetermine position, location or distance that stores this data on-boardor transmits it to a remote location, or a combination of both. The toolmay combine the position, location or distance data simultaneously withsensing data collection at any discrete location within the tubular, oron a structure's surface.

An additional version of a tool may be configured to be mountedexternally to a tubular via fixture, frame, cabling, etc. to detectcracks on the exterior surface(s). This version of the tool may have asensing “suite” that is moved manually, is powered, or is pre-programmedto operate in a pattern.

The tool may utilize a transduction method such as time reversaltechniques (via processing code) applied to one or more impedancemethods included herein as an enhancement. The tool may utilize virtualphased arrays in the form of one or more virtual emitters and one ormore virtual receivers.

The tool may be configured to be conveyed within a borehole to evaluatea tubular within the borehole. The tool may further include a conveyancedevice configured to convey the tool into the borehole. The tool may beconfigured to be conveyed into and within the borehole via wireline,tubing (tubing conveyed), crawlers, robotic apparatuses, and/or othermeans.

Therefore, the present invention provides a tool or device that utilizesa sensing system or device or means to sense and collect data pertainingto cracks in the pipe or conduit or other structures in or on which thetool is disposed. The collected data is processed and analyzed todetermine the cracks in the pipe or structure at various locations alongthe conduit or pipeline or structure.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent lawincluding the doctrine of equivalents.

1. A crack detecting system operable to detect cracks along a conduit or structure, said crack detecting system comprising: a tool movable along a conduit or structure and having at least one sensing device for sensing cracks in a wall of the conduit or structure; a processor operable to process an output of said at least one sensing device; wherein, responsive to processing of the output by said processor, said processor is operable to determine presence of a crack at the wall of the conduit or structure; and wherein said at least one sensing device employs excitation in the form of a high current continuous or pulse wave that is applied to a magneto-mechanical impedance transducer/sensor coil to generate a mechanical wave in the conduit or structure.
 2. The crack detecting system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensing device comprises a magnetic yoke and a magneto sensor coil.
 3. The crack detecting system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensing device comprises an electro-mechanical impedance device.
 4. The crack detecting system of claim 3, wherein said electro-mechanical impedance device utilizes vibroacoustic modulation.
 5. The crack detecting system of claim 1, wherein said tool comprises at least one module with each module having at least one sensing device.
 6. The crack detecting system of claim 1, wherein said tool comprises at least two modules with each module having a respective sensing device.
 7. The crack detecting system of claim 1, wherein said at least one sensing device comprises at least two sensing devices using different sensing technologies.
 8. The crack detecting system of claim 1, wherein said processor determines cracks at an interior surface of the conduit or structure.
 9. The crack detecting system of claim 1, wherein said processor determines the cracks at an exterior surface of the conduit or structure.
 10. The crack detecting system of claim 1, further comprising a caliper module operable to determine a geometry or flaw of the conduit or structure.
 11. The crack detecting system of claim 1, further comprising storing data output from the at least one sensor in a data storage device of the tool.
 12. The crack detecting system of claim 1, wherein the processor is located at a remote location from the tool.
 13. The crack detecting system of claim 12, wherein the tool is operable to wirelessly transmit the output of said at least one sensing device to the processor.
 14. A method for detecting cracks along a conduit or structure, the method comprising: providing a tool comprising at least one sensing device for sensing cracks in a wall of the conduit or structure, wherein the at least one sensing device employs excitation in the form of a high current continuous or pulse wave that is applied to a magneto-mechanical impedance transducer/sensor coil to generate a mechanical wave in the conduit or structure; moving the tool along the conduit or structure and collecting data output from the at least one sensor; processing the data output of the at least one sensing device; and determining, based at least in part on the processing of the output, presence of a crack at the wall of the conduit or structure.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one sensing device comprises an electro-mechanical impedance device.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electro-mechanical impedance device utilizes vibroacoustic modulation.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the tool comprises at least one position determining device, and wherein the method comprises determining the position of the tool as the tool moves along the conduit or structure via processing data output of the position determining device.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the processing occurs at a location remote from the tool.
 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transmitting the data output wirelessly from the tool to the remote processor.
 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising storing the data output from the at least one sensor in a data storage device of the tool. 